Elladan and his twin brother Elrohir were the children of Celebrían and Elrond. Dark-haired and grey-eyed, only those that knew them well could tell them apart. The first of the twins was named Elladan, ("Elf-Man") as a token of his ancestry; he was descended not only from the royal houses of the Noldor and the Sindar, but also from the Houses of Hador and Bëor of the Edain.

Many centuries later, the twins' mother Celebrían went on a journey into the south to visit her own mother, Galadriel, in the land of Lórien. In the Redhorn Pass, she was captured by orcs, and tortured in their dens. Elladan rode with his brother to rescue her, but by the time they reached her she had received a poisonous wound. Though their father healed her, she would not remain in Middle-earth, and sailed into the West the following year. After this loss, Elladan and Elrohir were filled with hatred of the orcs, often riding against them with the Northern Dúnedain.

After the War of the Ring, little is known of the brothers' fate. They returned to their father's house at Rivendell, and remained there even after he had passed across the Sea. Like their sister Arwen, the sons of Elrond Half-elven were granted the choice of whether to leave Middle-earth for the Undying Lands, or remain there and become mortal as men. So they chose for a time at least, to stay in Middle-Earth for reasons unknown.